Motion translating apparatus and controls therefor

ABSTRACT

The principles of operation of the various mechanisms are illustrated in a preferred form of an apparatus for transferring an article from an article pickup station to an article deposit station. A carrier housing is moved up and down along a vertical travel path and carries an indexing hub journally supported therein for rotation in the carrier housing. Article pickup means are provided and include one or more arms extending from the hub means and an article grasping device on each of the arms. A first one of the arms extends towards and positions the article grasping device carried thereon at a pickup station to enable article grasping when the carrier housing is at one end of the vertical travel path. The position of the article on the pickup means may be reoriented during the travel of the pickup means from the pickup station to the deposit station. The article is inverted by the indexing of the pickup arm and is stripped from the pickup arm during travel of the carrier housing downwardly.

United States Patent [191 Cuniberti July 29, 1975 1 1 MOTION TRANSLATlNG APPARATUS AND I CONTROLS THEREFOR [75] Inventor: Mario Cuniberti, Columbus, Ohio [73] Assignee: Owens-Illinois, lnc., Toledo, Ohio [22] Filed: Nov. 23, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 418,553

Related US. Application Data [62] Division of Ser. No. 295,530, Oct. 6, 1972, Pat. No.

Primary Examiner-Evon C. lBlunk Assistant Examiner-Joseph E. Valenza [57] ABSTRACT The principles of operation of the various mechanisms are illustrated in a preferred form of an apparatus for transferring an article from an article pickup station to an article deposit station. A carrier housing is moved up and down along a vertical travel path and carries an indexing hub journally supported therein for rotation in the carrier housing. Article pickup means are provided and include one or more arms extending from the hub means and an article grasping device on each of the arms. A first one of the arms extends towards and positions the article grasping device carried thereon at a pickup station to enable article grasping when the carrier housing is at: one end of the vertical travel path. The position of the article on the pickup means may be reoriented during the travel of the pickup means from the pickup station to the deposit station. The article is invertedl by the indexing of the pickup arm and is stripped from the pickup arm dur ing travel of the carrier housing downwardly.

PATENTEI] JUL29 I975 SHEET F IG.

PATENTED JUL 2 9 I975 SHEET PROGRAM AND FEEDBACK UNIT REVERSIBLE PATENTEBJULZQIHYS 3,896,926

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PATENTEDJULZQIQYS 3. 896,926

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PATENTED JUL 2 9 I975 FlG 6A PATEmEnJuLzsms 3.896.926

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PATENTEBJULZSISYS 3, 896,926 SHEET 1a FIG. 20

PATENTED JUL 2 9 I975 SHEET 

1. Apparatus for controlling relative motion of a plurality of components, comprising a. an element to be selectively rotated; b. carrier means for journally supporting said element; c. means for moving said carrier means to cause said element to travel along a predetermined linear path, said path having a first portion along which said element is not to be rotated and a second portion along which said element is to be rotated; d. means for rotating said element; e. means for sensing the position of said element on said linear path and providing a signal when said element is on one of said portions; f. means responsive to said sensing means signal for connecting said element rotating means to rotate said element when said element is traveling along said second portion of said path; g. an indexing hub means journally supported in said carrier means; h. clutch means for selectively connecting said indexing hub means to said element to be selectively rotated; i. means for actuating said clutch means to selectively connect said indexing hub means to said element to be selectively rotated when said element is traveling in a first direction along said linear path; j. said element rotating means being connected through said rotatable element to rotate said indexing hub means a predetermined angular amount; k. means for maintaining said indexing hub means at its angularly rotated position when said element is traveling in a second direction along said linear path; l. at least one arm extending from said indexing hub means; m. article grasping means carried on said arm; n. means for successively supply articles to an article pickup station to be grasped by said article grasping means; and o. means for synchronizing said article supplying means and the movement of said carrier means to enable the disposition of said article grasping means at said article pickup station when an article has been supplied at said station by said article supplying means.
 2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 which further includes a. means for sensing an article supplying movement of said article supplying means to said pickup station; and b. means responsive to said article supplying movement sensing means for enabling movement of said article grasping means to grasp an article at said pickup station only when said article supplying means is in a position to avoid contact between said article supplying and said article grasping means.
 3. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 in which said synchronizing means includes means for enabling a cyclic movement of said carrier means in response to a corresponding cyclic movement of said article supplying means.
 4. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 which further includes a. means for programming a cyclic movement of said carrier means in response to a corresponding cyclic movement of said article supporting means; b. means for sensing actual position of said carrier means; and c. means for comparing said sensed actual position of said carrier means and said programmed cyclic movement for said carrier means and interrupting movement of said carrier means if said actual position of and said programmed movement for said carrier means are out of phase a predetermined amount.
 5. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 which further includes a. means for sensing the position of said article grasping means with respect to said article supplying means; and b. means for inhibiting an article supplying movement of said article supplying means in response to the sensing of a position of said article grasping means which would interfere with movement of said article supplying means.
 6. Apparatus for transferring an article from an article pickup station to an article deposit station, comprising a. a carrier housing; b. means for moving said carrier housing up and down along a vertical travel path; c. indexing hub means journally supported for rotation in said carrier housing; d. article pickup means including a plurality of arms extending from said hub means and an article grasping means carried on each of said arms, a first one of said arms extending toward and positioning the article grasping means carried thereon at a pickup station to enable article grasping when said carrier housing is at one end of said travel path; e. means responsive to travel of said carrier housing in a first direction along said path for rotating said hub means to index said first arm out of an article pickup position while indexing an article grasping means on another of said plurality of arms into alignment with said article pickup station; f. means actuatable during travel of said carrier housing in a second direction along said path for maintaining said plurality of arms in their indexed position achieved during travel of said carrier housing in said first direction to move said aligned article grasping means on said other arm into article grasping position at said pickup station at said one end of said travel path; g. means for indexing articles into said pickup station; and h. means responsive to said article indexing means for preventing said carrier housing means from moving an article grasping means into said pickup station while an article is being indexed into said pickup station.
 7. Apparatus for transferring an article from an article pickup station to an article deposit station, comprising a. a carrier housing; b. means for moving said carrier housing up and down along a vertical travel path; c. indexing hub means journally supported for rotation in said carrier housing; d. article pickup means including a plurality of arms extending from said hub means and an article grasping means carried on each of said arms, a first one of said arms extending toward and positioning the article grasping means carried thereon at a pickup station to enable article grasping when said carrier housing is at one end of said travel path; e. means responsive to travel of said carrier housing in a first direction along said path for rotating said hub means to index said first arm out of an article pickup position while indexing an article grasping means on another of said plurality of arms into alignment with said article pickup station; f. means actuatable during travel of said carrier housing in a second direction along said path for maintaining said plurality of arms in their indexed position achieved during travel of said carrier housing in said second direction to move said aligned article grasping means on said other arm into article grasping position at said pickup station at said one end of said travel path; g. an article molding machine having a plurality of molds for forming articles to be transferred; h. means for indexing said molds into and out of said article pickup station; and i. means responsive to said mold indexing means for preventing said carrier housing means from moving an article grasping means into said pickup station while said mold indexing means is indexing molds into and out of said pickup station.
 8. Apparatus as defined in claim 7 which further includes means responsive to the position of an article grasping means within a predetermined distance of said pickup station for inhibiting operation of said mold indexing means.
 9. Apparatus for transferring an article from an article pickup station to an article deposit station, comprising a. a carrier housing; b. means for moving said carrier housing up and down along a vertical travel path; c. indexing hub means journally supported for rotation in said carrier housing; d. article pickup means including a plurality of arms extending from said hub means and an article grasping means carried on each of said arms, a first one of said arms extending toward and positioning the article grasping means carried thereon at a pickup station to enable article grasping when said carrier housing is at one end of said travel path; e. means responsive to travel of said carrier housing in a first direction along said path for rotating said hub means to index said first arm out of an article pickup position while indexing an article grasping means on another of said plurality of arms into alignment with said article pickup station; f. means actuatable during travel of said carrier housing in a second direction along said path for maintaining said plurality of arms in their indexed position achieved during travel of said carrier housing in said second direction to move said aligned article grasping means on said other arm into article grasping position at said pickup station at said one end of said travel path; g. means for indexing articles into said pickup station; and h. means responsive to the location of an article grasping means within a predetermined distance of said pickup station for inhibiting operation of said article indexing means. 